TakeMyCoffeeBlack
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Posts posted by TakeMyCoffeeBlack
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Thanks. What makes me confused is they receive their application via the GSAS application form, not the HKS one. Also, those students should finish the requirements for Government students.
I am little bit worried that people tend to think HKS is professional rather than academic, since my career goal is to teach.
Reach out to the program (find a program director's name, perhaps?) and explain that this seems to fit your research interests perfectly, but that you're interested in an academic career. But It's a partnership between GSAS and HKS, so I don't think it would hold you back at all. Plus, you'd have a Ph.D. from Harvard, which sets you up well for an academic future.
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http://www.hks.harvard.edu/socialpol/intro/intro.htm
Social policy is housed in HKS. Read through the intro page to get a good idea of what people do after getting the degree.
Edited: Said Government was in HKS.
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I'm just a Buffalo native, but...
The official name is State University of New York at Buffalo but we all (Buffalo natives and UB students - my brother and mom went there) call it UB or University at Buffalo.
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If this is not what you want to do, get an MA (at most) and then go elsewhere.
Or, if you're set on a Ph.D., do the MA first and develop specific research interests.
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I always assumed that SoPs are expected to be single spaced, and writing samples double spaced.
Same here. Although I did .5 space a few of them where there were no specific outlines, with the eyes of the readers in mind (because it didn't bring it to any extra pages).
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It sounds like you really want to do this because you want to perfect your German language skills and later use them in a non-academic career. However, language teaching isn't a focus of a PhD program as near-perfect language skills are basically a prerequisite for non-native speaking grad students like me. There are definitely easier, less expensive, less stressful ways to work on your language skills. The best would be to simply move to a German-speaking country and find work for a while. You'll be totally immersed culturally and linguistically, have opportunities to travel, etc. The easiest way to do this is with Fulbright, as others have mentioned, because they set everything up for you. However, when I did my Fulbright ETA I was really surprised by how many of the expats I met had just moved to the country and found work. It might sound intimidating, but it's totally doable. If money isn't an issue, look into a Middlebury program (though I think they have scholarships too).
Right on. I've heard mixed reviews about the Middlebury programs, though (namely that the teachers they hire aren't necessarily individuals with exceptional language competence, say B2 instead of C2). In any case, Fulbright and DAAD are both exceptional opportunities.
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Megan, es gibt keine Garantie, dass ein PhD dir die Möglichkeit geben würde, die deutsche Sprache zu beherrschen. Der Schwerpunkt des "Doktortitels" (mindestens in den USA) ist Forschung, nicht Sprachkompetenz (das gilt nur als notwendig in Bezug auf die Forshungsmöglichkeiten). Es wäre auf jeden Fall besser, dich nach Deutschland oder Österreich einzuziehen, oder vielleicht ein Masters zu machen, das um die Sprache und Literatur geht.
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Best bet is to shoot the programs an e-mail (better yet, professors at the program). There's a chance that English/Humanities programs might not look at Q scores at all.
- fancyfeast and EgQ54
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Double. I assumed that's the norm (and therefore what the page limits refer to).
Could be, not sure. So it's more like 1 3/4 pages single spaced? I won't speculate too much, but I'd guess that's okay. If it were 3.5 pages single spaced... haha
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Specific-to-my-situation-follow-up: is 3.5 pages below the OSU committee's tl;dr length?
Out of curiosity.. single spaced or double?
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Hey, sounds like we study some similar stuff and are applying to a few of the same schools. I'm pretty much done with mine, but I'd be happy to exchange anyway (some last minute feedback). Shoot me a PM with your SOP!
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Ah, I see. I was afraid that sort of an opening line may be too abrupt! That's why I was trying very elaborate opening lines.
Thanks a lot!
If you've got an exceptional hook then it might make sense to do something elaborate in the beginning, but otherwise getting right to the point is good.
Example of an exceptional hook: you want to study the causes of genocide, and the hook is: you're a survivor of a genocide, and that's what brought you to the topic.
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I don't think it's "abrupt" to do what TakeMyCoffeeBlack says, and I would even recommend it. These people are reading a lot of SOPs so getting right to the point would probably be appreciated!
In some ways it's too bad they're not just looking for a well rounded student like in undergrad.
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So an abrupt start to an SOP is okay, is it?
Something like ' The XYZ lab at the ABC university has done excellent research on MNOP. If admitted, I would like to contribute to the XYZ lab, and work on adding PQR functionality to MNOP." Will this do, or is it too abrupt?
Could work. Why not "I would like to pursue a Ph.D. in X at University Y exploring [topics] A, B and C." And elaborate from there. You can get creative in how you describe your research interests and background, but you don't want the committee getting caught up in an opening paragraph that is taking up space more than selling you to them.
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I would suggest talking about specific and general research interests (so that you seem focused but still open to other ideas). As for mentioning POIs, you can name more than one (though of course don't name the whole department).
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In that case, I'm definitely removing it. It does look slightly fancy and out of place. Thanks semicolon2013 and TakeruK!
TakeruK: I agree with the format you suggested, namely starting with research goals and interests.
However, I'm not able to find a formal start to the SOP if I'm including research in the first paragraph.
Just to be clear, my SOP has the following format:
- Introduction. (Limerick followed by a line about what program I'm applying to)
- The next 2-3 paragraphs about my interest in this topic and projects I've worked on in this field.
- The Second Last paragraph talks about which lab I'm interested in working with, and what I plan to do if admitted.
- What are my broader goals in life.
Do you suggest that I bring point 4 to replace my Introduction( point 1)?
Also, any suggestions about how I could start the SoP?
Thanks!
Most likely, just scrap the introduction. Your (1) research interests and (2) goals should open it up. e.g. What you want to study, generally and specifically, and how that will help you achieve your goal of...
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Why are they the 'mafia'?
It was a term used last year at some point to describe them ().
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I'd highly advise against this. Websites, particularly if a graduate school has one deadline for ALL programs, can become overloaded, your internet might choose that night to be extra slow, etc. etc. Give yourself AT LEAST 1 business day before the deadline. Last year there was a program (very low on my list), I waited until the deadline and couldn't connect to the website, trying consistently for several hours - in the end I decided to save myself the $75. No regrets apart from having already sent them transcripts and GRE scores... but had it been my first choice I would have cried myself to sleep every night for a month.
Healthcare.gov haha
- eponine997 and silver_lining
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I just want my letter writers to submit already!
Especially when you don't have any back up plans.
Hear hear! I imagine I'm not the only person with the unreasonable expectation that one of the universities, upon receipt of my full application, will contact me right away (had the same delusions last year...).
Yeah, no real back up plans... I got lucky with a fellowship abroad as a "back up plan" (although I'd likely have taken it even if I had a full funded offer) for this year. Next year it's find a cheap apartment and a job paying above minimum wage?
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i was having a bad dream yesterday. rejected by all 10 schools. fuck me.
I have a lot of anxiety about the whole process... Back up plans suck.
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That sounds to me like a certain big-ten school that have the awesomest faculty in the world
Aka the "mafia"
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Haha, exactly! All fields are interlinked after all! I do agree with you both though, CP seems like a more fitting field. I'll rework my letters around this then.
Don't sweat it too much. I believe it's in faculty perspectives that one of the faculty explained that they will pass off applications to other fields - sometimes which sub-field you're in depends on who's teaching at what university.
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Hello all, another lurker here
I've just sent in my earliest application, which is due 30th Nov. Will do the bunch of Dec 1s in next two days or so.
And just realized some programs changed the deadline since last time I've checked their websites, but fortunately all to a later date. So all is well.
Non-American programs?
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Well, it sounds like Comparative to me. If you ask me( as a non-American), AP is just CP with America, so if you wanna do stuff with other countries (even one), you should put CP.
Interesting perspective. And at times CP is just IR with state/regional comparisons. And sometimes CP, AP and IR are just PT in practice. I guess that's why in the end we all study PS...
Harvard Government and Social Policy program
in Political Science Forum
Posted
This. I realized I mixed that up after I responded originally.